Non-Profit Organizations

Guide Note

Non-Profit Organizations or "NPO's" do not distribute profits to shareholders or owners. Most commonly, non-profits are engaged in activities designed to promote the public good. Most non-profit organizations have tax exempt status, meaning they are not required to pay federal taxes. Well-known non-profit organizations include Wikipedia, The Red Cross and universities. Many non-profit organizations have paid staff, but if the organization does not make money beyond what it uses to pay expenses, it can be considered a non-profit.

Fast Facts

1. Number of Non-profits in the U.S.: 1.5 million
2. Non-profits are not necessarily tax exempt
3. U.S. Non-profit revenue in 2006 accounted for roughly 10% of the U.S. GDP

Range of Services and Activities

Non-Profit organizations have a range of services and activities, including environmental causes, education, health and religious services.

.org and .edu

Many non-profit organizations in the internet choose to use the .org and .edu domains to signify their status as non-profit organizations.

The Mahalo Top 7

1. Wikipedia: Non-profit organization
2. GuideStar: Nonprofit information clearinghouse 
3. Independent Sector: Nonprofit Leadership Forum
4. IRS.gov: Tax Information for Charities and Other Nonprofits
5. The NonProfit Times: Trade Publication
6. Idealist.org: Nonprofit FAQ
7. NOLO: How to Form a Nonprofit Corporation

Non-Profit Organizations News

• CIO: "Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector" (2007)
• The NonProfit Times: "U.S. Supreme Court OKs Advocacy and Faith Funding" (2007)
• Boston Herald: "New IRS Form Targets Charities' Salaries'" (2007)
• Washington Post: "A Reality Check for Nonprofit Candidates" (2007)

Non-Profit Organizations Industry Information

• NCCS: Number of Nonprofit Organizations by State
• Blackbaud: State of the Nonprofit Industry Survey (PDF)
• NCCS: FAQ about the Nonprofit Sector
• IRS.gov: Search for Charities

Federal Taxes and Tax Exemption

• GSA: State Tax Exemption Forms Overview
• IRS.gov: Draft Redesigned Form 990
• IRS.gov: FAQ about Tax-Exempt Organizations
• Wikipedia: Tax Exemption

Non-Profit Organizations Evaluators

• Give.org (Better Business Bureau)
• Charity Navigator
• American Institute of Philanthropy
• Standards for Excellence Institute
• National Council of Nonprofit Associations: Rating the Raters (PDF)

Non-Profit Organizations Law

• Nonprofit Issues: Trade Publication
• Cornell University Law School: Non-profit Organizations
• Nonprofit Expert: Nonprofit Law Resources
• International Center for Not-for-Profit Law
• Nonprofit Law Blog

Non-Profit Organizations Industry Publications

• The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Nonprofit News Source
• The NonProfit Times: Trade Publication
• Nonprofit Management and Leadership: Scholarly Journal
• The Nonprofit Quarterly: Trade Publication
• Stanford Social Innovation Review: Trade and Scholarly Publication

Non-Profit Organizations Blogs

• Have Fun • Do Good: 5 Tips to Start a Nonprofit Blog
• Donor Power Blog: Who owns a nonprofit organization?
• Aspiration: Nonprofit Management and Operations Blog
• Nonprofit Blog Exchange
• Nonprofit Tech Blog

Non-Profit Organizations Forums and Discussions

• CharityVillage.com: Nonprofit Web Forum Directory
• Organizational Development Network: Nonprofit Discussion List
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy: Live Discussions

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